Embracing Change: How To Overcome Fear
WHERE DOES OUR FEAR OF CHANGE COME FROM?
I often wonder why people associate the word “change” with ideas of chaos, the unknown, loss of control, and negativity. Although this can be accurate in some cases, there are many people that struggle to recognize and identify change as positive. I decided to take my question to google like every great counselor does right?? I did not find much of an answer other than what looked like the WebMD version of phobias and fears.
As a therapist who just uprooted her life; change is something I’ve learned to embrace and push myself towards more often (even when my mind is screaming not to). My perception of change has evolved over time but has more recently become associated with a need to be challenged. Not all changes in life will be positive but the way we view change definitely impacts our response to it in our lives.
There is no simple solution to embracing change but there are ways we can remind ourselves of the big picture & what is important to us. In an online interview, Anne Grady shared that on average, a person experiences five or six traumas in their lifetime but they are not taught how to bounce back from those challenges and setbacks. She goes on to encourage people to seek out skills to help them navigate through the situation & view the experience in a different light. Building resilience in times of change takes practice and shifting our perception of change takes time. If you’re wondering where to start, you can embrace and process these three concepts.
A FLEXIBLE MINDSET
Developing a more flexible mindset means being able to view situations and experiences from different viewpoints. Reframing your thoughts is a great place to start adapting this mentality. Whenever you foresee unexpected change or challenges, you have the opportunity to retrain your brain to think of the experience as an opportunity, not defeat.
ASSESSING YOUR FOCUS
When you concentrate on your goals, ability to learn, and grow from experiences you are more likely focus on the positives that happen as a result of change. Ask yourself where your focus is in the midst of change. Your focus determines your reality & that is something you have full control over.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Gratitude is happiness fuel. Gratitude allows you to build mental strength and embrace change through magnifying positive emotions, transforming your attitude, and enhancing human connection. Next time you are experiencing a change that might not be planned out or that you feel unprepared for, turn your focus to practicing gratitude. When you are in an actual state of gratitude studies have shown you can’t experience a negative feeling or emotion.
We would love to hear your thoughts on embracing change below in the comments!
If you need some more accountability and would like to process through some of your struggles with embracing change, feel free to reach out to us.
BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER & YOURSELF,
